(This article is a rewrite of a post I did a while ago on my other blog. It’s an introduction to a topic I’ll cover here in the next couple of posts.)

I was speaking with a client the other day who had called about a business/astrology question. After a fruitful conversation she said, “I almost didn’t call you. I didn’t want the astrology to influence my thinking.”

It sounds odd, doesn’t it, to call an astrologer about a situation but not want the astrology to influence your decision? Still, I understood what she meant. It was the classic free will versus destiny dilemma.

I am the master of my destiny

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

This particular client has a very prominent Uranus in her chart, which represents a rational, even scientific way of looking at things. She wants to believe she is the master of her destiny.

The planet Uranus was first sighted during the 17th century, the same time that the scientific method was being developed into its modern form by Descartes and Galileo. Science, as it has come to be practiced today, is based on hypotheses, repeatable experiments, and resultant theories. What passes these tests is deemed real; what does not pass, is not real.

This scientific method has resulted in immeasurable changes to the way we live, and to the earth we inhabit. It has ushered in marvelous advances in human society, as old superstitions which could not be proven have died, like the superiority of man versus woman or one race over another.

In the darkness of night, wanderers

Astrology is the ancient study of the cycles of nature. Many people who don’t believe in astrology have not imagined what life must have been like before the introduction of electricity. We are well aware of the cycles of the Sun which cause the seasons, and some of us are aware of the cycles of the Moon because they influence the tides. But before electricity, the night was darker and if you ventured outside, you noticed these bright objects that wandered across the sky. At times they would disappear entirely from your night sky; at other times they would seem to join other objects or be swallowed by the Sun completely.

In an age of less entertainment, these objects and their travels occupied a much bigger place in our psyches. With the discovery in the last 300 years of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, and the advances that have led to the industrial age and now to our information age many of us are less and less aware of the cycles of nature, including the cycles of the planets.

Yin and Yang (Source: Wikipedia)

The study of astrology is to take a stand and say, the cycles of nature are still influencing our lives. And further to say, if I understand these cycles I can live my life in tune with them. When it’s time to sow, I will know it. When it’s time to reap, I will know it. But the ability to create our destiny is possibly the most powerful force in the universe and yes, it is free to use as we want. We don’t have to plant in spring anymore; with greenhouses, heaters, grow lights, fertilizer, and automated watering systems we can plant a crop whenever we want.

To plant with ease, plant within season

What astrology says is, to plant with ease, plant within season. The planets don’t compel. As they move through space they mark times of increase and times of decrease. They plainly show the natural cycles of activity and rest. And these cycles stamp us at the moment of our birth, some cycles waxing, some cycles waning. But it is entirely up to us whether we consciously align ourselves with these rhythms.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each belief system. If you follow the cycles, you have to admit that we have retained our instinctual selves and our activities are a product of natural cycles, just like everything else on earth. If you ignore these cycles, this sets you free to attempt to master your destiny, based on personal will and desires.

And there seems to be room for all of us, at least so far. A more Neptune-type person will tend to feel connected to the cycles of life. A more Uranus-type person will tend to feel more independent and attempt to control life. And some people are an interesting mix of the two, which makes them call an astrologer, but not want to be influenced by what they hear.

Which one are you? Weigh in by leaving a comment below.

If you’d like a “scientific” way of assessing the strength of Uranus and Neptune in your chart, check out these links to Donna Cunningham’s blog, Sky Writer. She spells out a scoring system which is an interesting way of weighing the different parts of your chart. For Uranus, see How Strong is your Uranus? Here’s the Score! For Neptune, see How Strong is your Neptune? Here’s the Score! If the math or the symbols overwhelm you, let me know. I’ve set up an excel spreadsheet and I’ll plug in your numbers.

******************************************************
Check out my other blog for all things business, including weekly and monthly forecasts.Astro4Business Intersections

Not all blogs are good quality. Some bloggers are superstars of cyberspace
possess countless fans following every update and other bloggers can’t even get their
family to read their posts. Using Dallas digital public relations strategies,
we can educate you how to improve the traffic on your
blog.

There are legion different ways one possibly use social networking for their brokerage.

You can use it to, well, network with fellow
skilled. You can use it to broadcast listings, blog
entries, agent profiles, or video tours (“social media”).
You can use it to gather information or take polls or solve large and sophisticated problems (“social computing”).

Door Wardrobe hangers. It seems like only pizza parlors use this marketing route.
But to be honest, this is often a very inexpensive and
low key method of marketing. Salespeople don’t must be knock on doors.
All they always be do is put a little advertisement on all the
doors of a neighborhood or subdivision. Interested prospects might take one
way step in contacting the whole bunch.

Many experts use blogs as an instrument for marketing the properties they
individuals. When you put a associated with information a
lot more people tend to be encouraged to go to your blog.

So just how do you search engine optimize weblog? First, begin by
selecting topics curiosity such as real estate foreclosures.
If you are going devote the time writing or pay a website content
provider to write for you, you desire to blog about topics that individuals are attracted to.
Now that you have a list of topics, create a list of keywords that are undoubtably to type into yahoo search when browsing the
web for content. Use two to three keywords per post and insert them naturally into your
writing 1 to 3 times per post considering its
long distance.

Before a person receive started, you ought to look a few point of another realestate blog
out there. This will allow anyone to get an understanding for
what’s good content and exactly what not, through a reader’s take.
Just as you would with any other social media blog, you need to make confident you are engaging readers.
You want to make use of blog to gain respect as well as become an expert on the actual marketplace.

Real estate agents are often hired to trade or unload such listings.
This is why you should call them up or visit their
websites should you want to find free foreclosure prospect lists.

This is a win-win situation since the agent comes to sell family home energy kit and earn a commission, the bank
generates revenue, and you obtain your dream home for a steal!

Marketing books, software, websites, ads as well as the like can assist you you increase business.
There’s no doubt with that. But however only
a medium between you along with audience. Issues can move
your program along, nevertheless the program itself
has start with they.

Blogs made to just consist place if anyone else is to host online diaries and share
their personal misadventures an issue world. Now however,
blogging has become an advertising powerhouse are the real deal estate agents and other business brokers.

Check out of competition. Type your area (ex “Boston real estate” or “Boston real estate blog”) into Google,
and look at the top blogs a person simply find.
That ought to help give an idea with the type of content readers are looking for, Be patient on this and really get a
feel for the design and style of writing (short – lots
of dashes – lots of line breaks) that people like on the internet.

There can be a real estate angle almost everywhere, specifically if you
like talking individuals and starting out conversations.
Write a post about a real estate conversation you seasoned.

If you go to make use of a person’s name be bound to get
their permission. Don’t post personal information just it general.
Do not want want to anger buyers.

Some experts get lost in their thoughts and concepts that usually
are oftentimes very difficult to understand. I have worked for nice employers who have equally great ideas.
A cinch . was, they just don’t know the right way to translate them
into terms! The content in their sites are filled with great ideas
but no one bothers read through them so it was not constructed right.

Dr. John Tuccillo, former Chief Economist for the NAR, recently said:
“With the expansion of the number of Realtors, associated with competence has fallen to its lowest point ever.”
Aside general perception spreads towards public in general,
would cause real problems legitimate estate business professionals.
This is another area when a real estate blog will manage to benefit you.
Make use of blog to exhibit readers how knowledgeable you are your subject matter.
Just remember, some of readers will termed as much about
the subject as you have to. So check your facts before article!

Yes, I cheated the following letter. But realestate
blog are truly extensible (and you attempt to provide an adjective starting
with ‘X’). Your website can grow as carrying out grows, or as
corporation grows. To provide additional authors,
perhaps a colleague each morning mortgage industry.
You can add sections in order to additional
content. You can expand a blog however you might want to
support your objectives. That’s why doesn’t require an I.T.
department to get it carried out. Blogging programs are designed to become extensible.

There was this one place that looked really good and offered a great price.
Utilised really stunned at the photos. But when I actually went there, those photographs were taken ages ago when the resort was
still new and so the place was in ruins! A forum did warn me about of which.
In my case, I just gave that place a miss and went in order to the next one.

But imagine what would happen if you’ve paid any huge selection of
thousands of dollars of cash and been found getting a raw deal because of misinformation! Never underestimate the actual of chat.

Like many parts our economy, technology has transformed the way we ply their trade.
This is a trend which will definitely continue.
Being adaptive requires courage. Successfully adapting requires courage plus
discover. Now, go back to #1 even though being an established.
Let your knowledge inform your long-term endeavours.

I wasn’t able to do the math, but my intuitive feeling is that I’ve got strong Uranus. I like to exert my will and attempt control. But that doesn’t work very well without being tuned in to the circumstances and environment, so I’ve learned to monitor the environment pretty closely — to plan, but wait until conditions seem right. So which is that? I guess I believe in destiny, but I definitely try to work it and enhance it.

A beautiful pair of cardinals just landed in the tree right outside my window as I type, snow softly falling. Nice. I didn’t plan that. I’m really glad I don’t have the ability to direct everything that happens in my life, because most of the best things come unbidden and are better than anything I could have dreamed up.

Hi, Annie. Yes, your Uranus is stronger than your Neptune. I like the idea to plan, but wait until conditions seem right. It reminds me of something I read about George Washington today. Here’s the quote, from Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis: …it was the same strategic lesson he had learned as head of the Continental Army-namely, to avoid engagement with a superior force until the passage of time made victory possible, what we might call “the strategy of enlightened procrastination.” Not exactly the same as what you said, but close, right?

Of course I am overwhelmed and would love you to plug me into your Excel, or my nature doesn’t like to deal with the meticulous-ness of if all .

I find that I am more inclined toward Destiny, but work to be conscious so I can align my choices with my Destiny flow. The aspect I still wonder about though is when I’m in dis-ease or angst: is it me raging against my Destiny and so I need to surrender, or is it stemming from the Destiny itself and is my lot to embrace that particular moment and learn from it, while I stay in it. Does that make sense?

Hi, Nicole. Your score was Uranus – 42; Neptune – 27. That puts you firmly into the more intellectual type, although Donna Cunningham says that any score over 25 is high.

I’m pretty sure I understand your question. It sounds like you think that destiny itself can bring challenges which we are meant to accept so we can learn from them. It’s like, just because you surrender to your destiny doesn’t mean there won’t be matters to rage against. I don’t know. I’m a bit of a Taoist myself. I believe life is less personal and it’s only because we take it personally, we have likes and dislikes, opinions and righteousness, that we are constantly undermining our own happiness. My teacher once said to me, remember, don’t take it personally – which I immediately did and suffered for several years from doing so. I think life unfolds beautifully, easefully, unless we insist on thinking it’s all about us – that’s how we throw a wrench in the works.

Yes, I have moments of that sort of living and they are coming more frequently now, but I can’t say it is yet the way I live. I did catch myself just yesterday though.

A few days ago I was deeply hurt and humiliated; moreso than I have been in a long time. So I caved–like a turtle almost. I hide and withdraw and try to quietly crawl about, but my inner-self is raging and upset and writing all sorts of scripts and stories.

And then I dreamed a very similar dream three nights in a row and immediately saw archetypes: positive masculine, negative feminine. I then saw EGO (a huge damaging one ) and suddenly all of the past days of hurt and withdrawl and anger fell away and I saw my life as a story I was “reading”. Very very interesting and jolting–in the good way.

This is still just one day later and so we’ll see, but even now, in decisions about my day today I feel I am a different me and all of it matters a whole hell of a lot less and so in that, so much more (which is so corny too…but beautiful).

I’m definitely at a confluence and your blog has been part of that. Thank you.

Ellen, I look at my horoscope first thing each day (have been doing this for 40+ years), but usually I forget about my daily aspects, shortly thereafter, as my Aries rising keeps me quite distracted! At the same time, the transits are fascinating to watch. Too, I am often quite surprised and humbled by the way events may turn out with certain aspects. Things will happen that I never ever would have imagined and, after the fact, I think to myself, why didn’t I see these things coming down the pike? They were plain as day in my chart!

Hi, Patricia. Yes, me too. It’s like the universe puts blinders on me when it comes to my chart and allows me to see into others. Or maybe I just don’t take the same time and care when considering my own that I take when looking at someone else’s. Somehow the stakes seem bigger when I’m reading the symbols for another person. And it’s much easier to be objective with another’s chart, right? I don’t even really do readings for my close family. No objectivity there at all.

That’s is the ulitmate question isn’t it? Usually we think that you must choose one or the other way of thinking about life. It’s a bit like believing you can’t have more than one thought in your head at the time, and we all know that’s not true. I scored high on both Nept (49) and Ur (48), so I totally get the dilemma – I often feel the same way. I want the advice, but at the same time there’s the feeling that what the astrologer says might turn in to a self-fulfilling prophecy, and what if the reading is “bad”? (It never is, but you know, it might be one day! As you know, I also have a strong Pluto …). I see that for me it goes in periods – some times I turn to astrology a lot, other times I don’t even read the horoscope in the newspaper (Ha). Perhaps that reflects transits from the two planets. Great subject, Ellen!

Thanks, Natalie. Your statement about holding more than one thought in your head at the same time is intriguing to me. Can you really do that? I can’t. One thought at a time and the rest go wisping by. That’s why I keep a pen and notebook handy all the time.

I just looked at your Mercury – in Libra. But trine Saturn. Maybe Saturn forms a kind of structure or container for your thoughts?

A Saturnian container – hopefully that’s not like Pandora’s box! I always have more than one thought at the time. It might come from always thinking about the story I’m writing, or new ideas popping up constantly, while at the same time I’m thinking about what’s going on around me, or a conversation I had, an old memory, reminding myself I have to buy milk … Like multi-tasking, only multi-thinking. Perhaps Mercury isn’t such a wrong planet for Virgo, after all. I’ve always found it difficult sitting still with one task, I get fidgety after awhile. When I’m writing, I usually run a DVD in the upper corner of my computer screen. It keeps the bored part of my brain busy, so I can let the words flow through my fingers. I have a feeling that’s Uranus’ energy. I could probably benefit from meditation …

Yes, I agree – strong Uranus influence and also that opposition from Jupiter in Pisces.

That’s amazing you write with a DVD playing. I can see that it would help to just form a direct conduit from your creativity to your fingers, bypassing the part that may think too much. I’ll have to try it!

This is interesting to me as well. I find I must have an episode from hulu or a dvd or at the very least, music, in order to write and compose. I do the same when reading student papers or if heavily engrossed in email responses. I’m not sure if it is boredom, but feels more like there is part of my mind that must be soothed into some part of distraction so that I can really access the deeper part of my thinking.

I’ve often wondered if the same affect occurs through my walking/running though too. If I go for a long walk or a run, I also often can compose and then return home to write it.

However, I’m useless in a cafe or when someone else, live, is in the room rummaging about. This type of distraction aggravates and over-stimulates and I find I just quickly diminish in any useful thinking.

Hi. I’m useless too in a cafe or when someone is in the room. And I’ve also composed a lot on walks or runs.

But I still can’t imagine watching a dvd while writing. Yesterday I tried to do some rote bookkeeping while watching a movie just to see how it went. It didn’t work for me. At the end I felt like I missed both of them. What I do like, and must do, is talk radio while housecleaning. It’s the only thing that distracts me enough to just get out the cleanser and go to it. I don’t mind cleaning at all, as long as my mind is distracted. If I’m not distracted I get bored in about five minutes.

The trick is to use a movie you know very well and have seen a few times already. That way your attention will not be on that story, but it will provide a distraction even so. I have the same problem twith cafes or when people are in my office – I don’t even carry a notebook with me anywhere.

Dear Ellen,
I loved ready your blog today on free will and destiny. I am presently focused on clarifying my destiny and purpose for this next phase of my life. I do believe we can hold both free will and destiny together. There is so much space to make choices, listen carefully to the voice of God and then align ourselves with the answers we receive and work with the energies that are available to us. Thank you for continually sharing your wisdom and insight. Love, Katherine

Thank you so much, Katherine. So nice to hear from you. Your response actually reminded me of the yin/yang symbol I included, without consciously knowing why. You highlight the constantly changing, flowing interaction between the two, receptivity when appropriate and action when appropriate.